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No narcotics in Thailand’s ‘biggest ever drug haul’ – only cleaning agent (nationthailand.com)

No narcotics in Thailand’s ‘biggest ever drug haul’ – only cleaning agent

NationalNov 24. 2020Somsak Thepsutin 

By The Nation

Justice Minister Somsak Thepsutin has admitted that the chemical seized in what was initially billed as the biggest drugs haul in Thailand’s history is not ketamine, but a harmless cleaning agent.

Somsak explained on Tuesday that when the first test was carried out on 11.5 tonnes of the white powder, it turned the reagent purple – a match for ketamine. But after testing again, the substance was found to be trisodium phosphate, a cleaning agent and food additive which also turns the testing reagent purple.

The mistake was caused by an error in the scientific process, he added.

The seizure made worldwide headlines on November 12 when officials including Somsak announced they had made the largest drugs bust in Thai history. The chemical was found inside 475 sacks piled in a warehouse in Chachoengsao and was said to be worth Bt28.7 billion.

The raid on the warehouse in the eastern province followed a tip-off from officials in Taiwan, who told the Narcotics Control Board they had seized 300 kilos of ketamine, but more was on its way to Thailand. The Thai shipment was seized and tested, with the results checked by scientists from the Justice Ministry and the Forensic Department before the “haul” was announced to the press.

However, subsequent tests on 59 of the sacks showed no ketamine was present. The Justice Ministry said the remaining 406 sacks will now be examined by the NBC, Forensic Science police, and Department of Medical Sciences, with test results due this week.

On Monday, lawyer and transparency activist Atchariya Ruengrattanapong accused Somsak of negligence over the 11.5-tonne seizure and asked the anti-corruption agency to look into the case.

Somsak insisted that he had not bullied anyone, adding that he had set up a working group to investigate what had gone wrong.

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New e-boats to start plying Bangkok canals from Friday (nationthailand.com)

New e-boats to start plying Bangkok canals from Friday

NationalNov 24. 2020

By THE NATION

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has tested seven electric boats on Monday before they go into service from Friday.

These e-boats will run along Bangkok’s Phadung Krung Kasem Canal in line with the project of improving the capital’s water transportation system.

These boats, run completely by power generated from solar cells installed on the roof, will be monitored by the authorities via the pre-installed GPS system.

The 9.9-metre long and 2.9-metre wide boats can run at a maximum speed of 17 kilometres per hour, compared to the 15kmph speed of ordinary canal boats.

The new boats can seat 30 passengers and has space for one wheelchair.

Canal boats run along the Phadung Krung Kasem Canal from 6am to 7pm on weekdays and 8am to 7pm on weekends.

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IRPC board to consider budget for clean fuel project (nationthailand.com)

IRPC board to consider budget for clean fuel project

NationalNov 24. 2020

By THE NATION

Petrochemical firm IRPC’s board of directors will on Tuesday consider funding for the Ultra Clean Fuel (UFC) project, which aims to bring the quality of oil produced by IRPC up to Euro 5 emissions standards.Noppadol Pinsupa, president of IRPC, which is a subsidiary of national oil and gas firm PTT Group, said the funds will be spent on the acquisition of factories that produce plastic pellets. He said IRPC has discussed the acquisition plan with two or three other firms, adding that things will start becoming clearer next year.

He said once the Covid-19 crisis is over, the demand for plastic pellets will rise in the market, which will be advantageous for the IRPC.

Noppadol said the company will focus more on speciality grade products. “Revenue from this kind of product will rise to 30 per cent in 2024 from 17 per cent in 2020,” he added.

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Modifying headlights can cost motorists up to Bt50,000 in fines (nationthailand.com)

Modifying headlights can cost motorists up to Bt50,000 in fines

NationalNov 24. 2020

By THE NATION

Motorists who have modified their headlights or taillights may face fines of up to Bt50,000, the Department of Land Transport warned recently.

“We have received complaints via the 1584 hotline about people’s visibility being affected by headlights and taillights that have been modified to be too bright, flashing or in colours other than those specified by law, such as blue,” said Jantira Buruspat, deputy director-general.

“Such modifications go against the 1979 Vehicle Act, which stipulates a maximum penalty of Bt2,000 if the vehicle’s equipment fails to meet legal requirements. It also violates the 1979 Land Transport Act, which stipulates a maximum penalty of Bt50,000 for adding objects to vehicles that can harm other people’s physical or mental health,” she added.

Jantira said Land Transport Offices in all provinces as well as certified vehicle inspection centres have been instructed to strictly screen vehicles for modifications when motorists come in for licence renewal or yearly inspection.

“Owners of vehicles that fail to meet requirements will be told to rectify their equipment before their licence is renewed or vehicle inspected,” she said. “We are also working with police by getting officers to randomly inspect vehicles at selected checkpoints. Officials can immediately press charges if any vehicles are found with modified headlights or taillights.”

Photos or video clips of vehicles with modified lights can be sent to Line ID @1584DLT, Facebook @dlt1584, http://ins.dlt.go.th/cmpweb/ or via email: dlt_1584complain@hotmail.com, along with licence number and date and time the pictures were taken.

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Police on alert around Crown Property Bureau (nationthailand.com)

Police on alert around Crown Property Bureau

NationalNov 24. 2020

By THE NATION

Police have set up barbed wires around the Crown Property Bureau in Bangkok’s Dusit district, where a pro-democracy demonstration is scheduled for Wednesday.

Deputy Metropolitan Police Bureau Commissioner Pol General Piya Tawichai stated on Monday that nine troops of police have been ordered to monitor the situation at the Crown Property Bureau for 24 hours.

The demonstration on Wednesday was first announced on November 18 during the pro-democracy protest at Bangkok’s Ratchaprasong intersection.

However, several details on the demonstration have not been revealed, including the starting time.

On Sunday, protest leader Parit Chiwarak announced that a big surprise was in store for the pro-democracy protesters.

On the same day, pro-democracy Ratsadon group posted on its Facebook page, urging people to bring cute things with them to the protest site or wear cute costumes.

The Ratsadon advised people to bring a bottle of water, and warned them not to wear yellow shirts as some people might mistake them for royalists.

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Police prevent brawl between Thanathorn supporters and royalists (nationthailand.com)

Police prevent brawl between Thanathorn supporters and royalists

NationalNov 24. 2020Photos by Wanchai Kraisornkhajit 

By The Nation

Police had to intervene to prevent a conflict between yellow shirts and supporters of former Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit on Tuesday morning.

The incident happened at Thung Song Hong Police Station in Bangkok when

Thanathorn arrived there with his supporters to acknowledge the charge on holding the shares of V Luck Media, violating Section 151 of the law governing the election of MPs.

His supporters were waiting for him outside the police station when they encountered about 10 royalists who came to insult Thanathorn.Around 9.30am, the yellow shirts tried to charge at them, but they were stopped by policemen.

Police had to set up metal barriers between the two groups to prevent violence.

Thanathorn was later moved to Metropolitan Police Bureau 2 to ease the situation. His supporters followed him and offered him a cake a day before his birthday. Thanathorn was born on November 25, 1978.

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PCD joins hands with US agency to develop air quality forecasting using space technology (nationthailand.com)

PCD joins hands with US agency to develop air quality forecasting using space technology

NationalNov 24. 2020

By The Nation

The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has announced cooperation with the United States government to develop air-quality monitoring and forecasting system using space technology.

The Mekong Air Quality Explorer (http://aqatmekong-servir.adpc.net/en/mapviewer/) will serve as a tool for managing air pollution problems through its partnership with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC), Servir-Mekong, and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) to implement dust solutions under the National Agenda Steering Action Plan.

PCD director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa said the air quality monitoring and forecasting system would help report the air quality in Thailand. Information was computed from Nasa’s three-hour satellite data and mathematical modelling system to enhance the nationwide coverage of PM2.5 dust mass along with a three-day forecast in conjunction with the operation of GISTDA, the main Thai agency that develops satellite data systems, to monitor PM2.5 sources, heat points, combustion areas, and the direction of dust, including the spatial spreading behaviour of PM2.5 dust both in the country and around the country hourly. This will enable timely advice for people in the area to prepare and prevent health impacts. It is also a data support tool for the “Burn Check” application to register fuel management in agricultural areas.

He added that the cooperation in technology development would focus on preventing and solving the problem of PM2.5 dust by using modern tools, technology, and knowledge from all relevant sectors to integrate the solution for PM2.5 dust problem with sustainable efficiency.

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Several Songkhla districts still struggling with floods (nationthailand.com)

Several Songkhla districts still struggling with floods

NationalNov 24. 2020

By The Nation

Songkhla’s four districts, Sadao, Hat Yai, Muang Songkhla and Na Mom, have been inundated for several days and the situation is worsening due to run-offs.

Though the authorities have tried to drain the water, heavy flooding has blocked access to some 300 households and several villages.

Officials have been visiting the affected areas to find ways to ease the situation.

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Democrat leader to have words with MPs who did not toe party line on charter changes (nationthailand.com)

Democrat leader to have words with MPs who did not toe party line on charter changes

NationalNov 24. 2020File Photo: Jurin Laksanawisit 

By The Nat8ionCommerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said on Tuesday that as Democrat Party leader, he will have words with three MPs who did not vote for all charter amendment motions in line with the party.

Jurin said on Monday that all Democrat MPs had been told of the party’s stance on charter changes, adding that though everybody is entitled to their personal opinions, politically they should toe the party line.

He did not say if the MPs in question will be punished.

The Democrat leader had said earlier that his party supports charter amendment bills proposed by the coalition government and the opposition, as they will pave the way for the establishment of a charter drafting assembly. The Democrat Party does not support any changes to the first two chapters of the Constitution.

Jurin said during the discussion set for later in the day, they will touch on the fact that some party MPs still follow the ideology of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), which helped the military junta seize power in 2014.

PDRC was formed in late 2013 by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban to overthrow the Yingluck Shinawatra government and proceed with national reform through a non-elected royalist council.

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Police eye brutal lese majeste law to deal with protesters (nationthailand.com)

Police eye brutal lese majeste law to deal with protesters

NationalNov 24. 2020File Photo: Jaruwat Waisaya 

By The Nation

In a meeting led by assistant police chief Pol Lt-General Jaruwat Waisaya on Tuesday morning, national police discussed the option of applying the draconian lese majeste law on anti-establishment protesters.

However, the number of youngsters to face charges will depend on investigation reports.

Meanwhile, a source from the security sector said rumours of the Army getting ready to launch a coup are fake as the political situation is not critical at the moment.

As for the planned protest outside the Crown Property Bureau on Wednesday, police say protesters will be handled in line with law and that the Army will not be involved.

Bangkok police chief Pol Lt-General Pakapong Phongpetra said police are not concerned about the protest and officers have been instructed to not carry weapons when controlling the rally.

He said there are 107 cases since January and that legal action against participants in the November 17-18 protest is underway.